Wizards of Waverly Place Reboot: All About the Disney Show Revival Starring Selena Gomez

After more than a decade away, the Russos are returning to their magical roots.

In January 2024. Deadline announced that the wizarding family would return to the long speculated Wizards of Waverly Place restarting. The series will see Selena Gomez reprise her role as Alex Russo — a family wizard who plays by her own rules — and David Henrie returns as Alex’s brother Justin Russo, a book-smart wizard who was last seen being promoted to director of WizTech.

On the same day as DeadlineOn Instagram, Henrie posted a picture of the script for the pilot with a wand on top. He captioned it, “The Russos are excited to be part of your family again, but we’ve grown 😊. 2024, the year of the return of magic! 🪄.”

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Gomez also chimed in by reposting Deadline story, writing that she was “so excited ❤️️”, before sharing a throwback photo of herself and Henrie in Wizards of Waverly Place with the caption “We’re back.”

She also talked about the upcoming reboot during Jimmy Kimmel Live! look, saying: »It will be a lot of fun. I’m excited to bring the characters back…I’m excited for you guys to see it.”

Four months later, the actress announced the series’ official title when she took the stage at the August 2024 ABC and Disney Upfronts event: Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.

Here is everything you need to know about Wizards of Waverly Place restarting.

When will Wizards of Waverly Place reboot be released?

David Henrie shares a photo of the script for the pilot episode of the ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’ revival.

David Henrie’s Instagram

While no official date has been confirmed, Henrie revealed on Instagram that the reboot will begin in 2024 when he shared a photo of the pilot script with a wand on top.

On February 4, 2024, Henrie posted a video on Instagram of the cast signing their names on the back of the set to confirm that filming of the pilot episode had finished.

“It’s the end of the sequel pilot! On the original series, we signed our names on the back of the set right at the beginning of the show, and now we’re doing the same on the sequel! Can’t wait for the Russos to be part of your family again,” he wrote in the caption.

Which cast members are returning for Wizards of Waverly Place reboot?

From left: Jennifer Stone, David Henrie, Maria Canals-Barrera, Jake T. Austin and Selena Gomez in ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’.

Bruce Birmelin/Disney Channel/Getty

Gomez will not be a series regular, but will be in the pilot and serve as an executive producer on the series. Henrie will be a series regular and took to Instagram to post a picture of himself, Gomez and their on-screen parents — played by David DeLuise and Maria Canals-Barrera — announcing that they will return as Jerry and Theresa Russo.

Noticeably absent from the picture was Jake T. Austin, who played Gomez and Henrie’s goofy younger brother Max Russo on screen. However, Austin confirmed that he would be back when he shared a photo on his Instagram Stories with the caption, “Wow! I look forward to spending time with my wizarding family.”

As for Jennifer Stone — who played Alex’s comical, cheerful best friend Harper in the original series — DeLuise confirmed during an interview with the original Wizards of Waverly Place writers and producers Ben Montanio and Vince Cheung on Under the Wizard — hosts he and Stone — that he spoke with Henrie about the return of both their characters.

“David said after the pilot, you know, what obviously now when you’re doing a pilot you don’t have the last nine, so when that happens, I think Jerry Russo and Harper might come back out of the way because we’re in that world,” DeLuise said. “I think it will be successful and everything will work out.”

“As David said, ‘if it makes sense in the end,’ we’ll see,” Stone continued. “I think for a sequel or a remake to be successful, you have to connect the original that people fell in love with and then create your own thing and kind of intertwine them, so it’s going to be interesting to see how he pulls that off and I’m excited to see what will do with him.”

When fans were worried about whether the original cast would return after DeLuise commented “Reboot?” to Henrie’s post announcing the new show, Henrie calmed them down. “We definitely plan to bring back the original cast for the series order 🙌❤️,” Henrie responded to the comment.

In August 2024, Disney shared a behind-the-scenes video of the cast returning to the set for the first time and walking around the Russo’s new home. In one clip, Gomez says, “This is where it all started. We’re home.”

What new cast members are joining Wizards of Waverly Place reboot?

The series will also welcome new stars Janice LeAnn Brown as the powerful, young sorceress Billie, Alkaio Thiele as Justin’s eldest son Roman and Mimi Gianopulos as Justin’s wife Giada. Brown – who will star in the series – currently stars in Disney’s Just roll with itwhile Thiele recently appeared on the Fox sitcom Call me Kat and Gianopulos is best known for her supporting role in the 2012 romantic comedy What to expect when you are pregnant.

What is Wizards of Waverly Place reboot about?

From left: Ian Abercrombie, Jake T. Austin, David Henrie, Selena Gomez, Maria Canals-Barrera and David DeLuise in “Wizards of Waverly Place.”

Eric McCandless/Disney Channel/Getty

According to the official synopsis, the series “begins after a mysterious incident at WizTech, where an adult Justin Russo has left his wizarding powers behind, opting for a normal, human life with his wife and two sons. But he’s surprised when a powerful young wizard in need of training shows up at his door… and Justin must embrace his past to secure the future of the Wizarding World.”

When the original series ended, Justin was the headmaster of WizTech—a wizarding school similar to Hogwarts in the Harry Potter franchise — still had his powers, but that no longer seems to be the case.

Within the rules Wizards of Waverly Place world, it states that a wizard must give up his powers in order to marry a non-magical mortal, which explains why Justin would have no powers.

Where can I watch Wizards of Waverly Place reboot?

While there has been no official announcement on where the reboot will air, the original Wizards of Waverly Place series, 2009 Movie Wizards of Waverly Place and a TV special from 2013 Return of the Wizard: Alex vs. Alex are broadcast on Disney+.

Disney Channel’s official Instagram account also posted an image of the new series’ pilot with the caption, “📍Waverly Place.”

Who directs, writes and produces Wizards of Waverly Place reboot?

David Henrie; Selena Gomez.

Dave Kotinsky/Getty; Amy Sussman/Getty

Henrie and Gomez will executive produce the new series. Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas — writers and executive producers of another Disney Channel reboot, Raven’s home, based on 2003 That’s so Raven — are confirmed to be the executive producers of the new series and the writers of the pilot.

Executive producer of Disney’s upcoming film Descendants: Rise of the Red film Gary Marsh — who is the former president and chief creative officer of Disney Branded Television — will also executive produce the new one Wizards of Waverly Place series.

Andy Fickman — who directed the 2009 Disney film Race to Witch Mountain starring Dwayne Johnson — will serve as series director and sixth executive producer.

How is it Wizards of Waverly Place leave?

Jake T. Austin, Selena Gomez and David Henrie in the series finale of ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’.

Craig Sjodin/Disney Channel/Getty

When did we last see Justin Russo in the Wizards of Waverly Place in the series finale, he was named headmaster of WizTech after Professor Crumb announced his retirement. This follows a dramatic competition between Max, Justin and Alex to determine which of them will keep their powers and become the family wizard.

Justin won the competition, but revealed that he only won because Alex helped him dislodge his leg from the roots, so he gave up his powers so she could be named the family wizard. Despite Alex being named the family wizard, Justin’s powers were restored for his new role at WizTech.

The entire cast – except Henrie – returned for the 2013 TV special Return of the Wizard: Alex vs. Alexwhere we last saw all the characters except Justin. Justin’s absence was explained by him being too busy as the director of WizTech, but his name and presence were felt in the special.

It was difficult for Alex to take on the responsibility of being the family wizard, while her father implied that Justin would be more responsible. In an effort to eliminate the parts of herself that people didn’t like, she performed a spell to banish what she considered the bad aspects of her personality, but accidentally split into two separate personalities: good Alexa and bad Alexa.

In the end, Alex canceled the spell and kept her status as the family wizard out of loyalty to her best friend Harper, who was dating Zeke Beakerman when the series ended. Alex was still dating her werewolf boyfriend Mason Greybeck, while Justin was dating his vampire girlfriend Juliet – played by Bridgit Mendler. Max failed to retain his powers, and inherited the family’s sandwich shop — the Waverly Sub Station.

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Source: HIS Education